The Region 2 Office is pleased to announce that Ms. Satonya Dews, current Assistant Principal at West Springfield Elementary School, has been named the new principal of Bailey’s Primary Elementary School. 

Ms. Dews started her career in Fairfax County Public Schools at Woodley Hills Elementary, a Title I school, dedicating her expertise and knowledge to primary-aged students as a classroom teacher and as an ESOL teacher. In these roles, Ms. Dews brought a variety of research-based strategies that were fundamental to the success of English Language Learners and Students with Learning Disabilities, with a special focus in the areas of reading and math. She went on to spend four years as an ESOL Assessment Teacher working in FCPS Central Offices. In 2012 she was hired as the assistant principal of Cardinal Forest Elementary where she spent the next six years focusing on literacy advancement and achievement for all students. In 2018 she joined the West Springfield Elementary staff as the assistant principal where she was motivated to work on helping English Language Learners (“ELL”) among other foci. She also worked diligently with and in the Collaborative Learning Teams construct and with the Special Education Team to ensure that all students were learning at the highest possible level.

Ms. Dews’ experiences at Cardinal Forest Elementary and at West Springfield Elementary have prepared her well to be able to lead Bailey’s Elementary into the coming years.  Her past leadership practices and academic results at West Springfield Elementary demonstrate that her beliefs and practices are aligned with the FCPS Closing the Gap Framework. She is a staunch supporter of collaborative learning teams and, in her previous role, met weekly with them and followed the CLT cycle to plan for instruction and create common assessments to monitor student progress. Ms. Dews also met weekly with ESOL teachers to identify student areas of need and select instructional strategies and resources that support students with English language development.   

Ms. Dews values and recognizes the importance of creating strong relationships with all stakeholders to ensure student needs are met in a proactive manner. Her strong desire to create welcoming and inclusive cultures has been demonstrated during her previous leadership roles. She understands that input, feedback, and open lines of communication from and with the school community are vital components to the holistic approach in the education of our students

Ms. Dews has a vision for Bailey’s Elementary and the knowledge and experiences required to lead this school. Because of her strong experiences in multiple schools, Ms. Dews will be focusing on building trust and inspiring credibility with the community, in addition to academic achievement and access for all. Her multiple experiences, proven track record of success, and respectful demeanor make her an ideal leader for this community. She also speaks Spanish as a result of her undergraduate studies and is looking forward to using her Spanish skills as the principal of Bailey’s Elementary School.

Ms. Dews holds Bachelor's degrees in International Business and Spanish from James Madison University. She has also attained a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Norfolk State University and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University. In 2010 Ms. Dews went on to earn her endorsement in Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia.   

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Dews as the new principal of Bailey’s Primary Elementary School.

Fabio Zuluaga, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent, Region 2